Female Human Oracle (Cyclopian Seer) / Bard (Court Bard) 1
CG Medium Humanoid
Init +3; Senses Perception +8
------------------------------
DEFENSE
------------------------------
AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 Armor, +3 Dex)
hp 18
Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +2 (+6 vs Charm/Compulsion)
------------------------------
OFFENSE
------------------------------
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +4 (Xiphos)
Ranged +4
------------------------------
STATISTICS
------------------------------
Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 17
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD +14
.
.
.
.
.
Traits
Disgraced Noble (Campaign):
Your noble family used to matter, until your father took a stand against Maxillar Pythareus, the commander of Taldor’s military. True or not, the
accusations Pythareus leveled against your family in return destroyed your reputation and isolated you from the society you grew up in. Now the only thing that matters to you is clawing your way back up the social ladder, either for your own quality of life or to clear your family’s name. You’ve had to practice deception as you began working your way back into Taldan social circles; you gain a +2 trait bonus on Bluff checks to conceal your
identity and a +2 bonus on Linguistics checks to spot or produce forgeries, and one of these skills is always a class skill for you. Once each day, you can choose a single humanoid you believe to have been involved in the conspiracy to destroy your family; you gain a +1 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls against that NPC for a number of rounds equal to your character level. At 10th level, this bonus increases to +2.
Charming (Social):
Blessed with good looks, you’ve come to depend on the fact that others find you attractive.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus when you use Bluff or Diplomacy on a character that is (or could be) sexually attracted to you, and a +1 trait bonus to the save DC of any language-dependent spell you cast on such characters or creatures.
Irrepressible (Faith):
Your hope for a brighter future blessed by the gods, combined with your powerful personality, allows you to force your way free of spells that cloud the mind.
Benefit(s): You can use your Charisma modifier in place of your Wisdom modifier when attempting Will saving throws against charm and compulsion effects.
Hedonistic (Drawback):
You are a creature of pleasure and comfort.
Effect(s) Whenever you spend a day without gaining reward or treasure (at least 10 or more gold pieces) or spending an hour on entertainment or pleasure, attempt a DC 20 Fortitude save at the end of that day. If you fail, you begin the next day fatigued. This fatigue lasts 4 hours, or until you receive a reward or sufficient entertainment or pleasure.
Feats
Extra Revelation (WHISPERED GLIMPSES):
You have discovered a new aspect of your mystery.
Prerequisites: Revelation class feature.
Benefit: You gain one additional revelation. You must meet all of the prerequisites for this revelation.
Special: You can gain Extra Revelation multiple times.
Lingering Performance:
The effects of your bardic performance carry on, even after you have stopped performing.
Prerequisite: Bardic performance class feature.
Benefit: The bonuses and penalties from your bardic performance continue for 2 rounds after you cease performing. Any other requirement, such as range or specific conditions, must still be met for the effect to continue. If you begin a new bardic performance during this time, the effects of the previous performance immediately cease.
Skills
(18 points; 12 class, 2 Skilled, 4 Background)
-------------------------------
Acrobatics* +7 = DEX 3+1+3
-------------------------------
Appraise +0 = INT 0+0+0
-------------------------------
Bluff +8 = CHA 3+2+3 (+2 Conceal Identity) (+1 Charming)
-------------------------------
Climb* +0 = STR 0+0+0
-------------------------------
Craft +0 = INT 0+0+0
-------------------------------
Diplomacy +9 = CHA 3+2+3 (+1 HE) (+1 Charming)
-------------------------------
Disable Device*† +0 = DEX 0+0+0
-------------------------------
Disguise +3 = CHA 3+0+0
-------------------------------
Escape Artist* +3 = DEX 3+0+0
-------------------------------
Fly* +3 = DEX 3+0+0
-------------------------------
Handle Animal† +3 = CHA 3+0+0
-------------------------------
Heal 0 = WIS 0+0+0
-------------------------------
Intimidate +3 = CHA 3+0+0
-------------------------------
K (Arcana)† +0 = INT 0+0+0
-------------------------------
K (Dungeoneering)† +0 = INT 0+0+0
-------------------------------
K (Engineering)† +0 = INT 0+0+0
-------------------------------
K (Geography)† +0 = INT 0+0+0
-------------------------------
K (History)† +6 = INT 0+2+3 (+2 Background) +1 (HE)
-------------------------------
K (Local)† +5 = INT 0+1+3 (+1 HE)
-------------------------------
K (Nature)† +0 = INT 0+0+0
-------------------------------
K (Nobility)† +6 = INT 0+2+3 (+2 Background) (+1 HE)
-------------------------------
K (Planes)† +0 = INT 0+0+0
-------------------------------
K (Religion)† +0 = INT 0+0+0
-------------------------------
Linguistics† +4 = INT 0+1+3 (+2 Forgeries)
-------------------------------
Perception +8 = CHA 3+2+3 (Whispered Glimpses)
-------------------------------
Perform (String) +7 = CHA 3+1+3
-------------------------------
Profession† -1 = WIS -1+0+0
-------------------------------
Ride +3 = DEX 3+0+0
-------------------------------
Sense Motive +7 = CHA 3+1+3 (Whispered Glimpses)
-------------------------------
Sleight of Hand*† +3 = DEX 3+0+0
-------------------------------
Spellcraft† +0 = INT 0+0+0
-------------------------------
Stealth* +8 = DEX 3+2+3
-------------------------------
Survival -1 = WIS -1+0+0
-------------------------------
Swim* +0 = STR 0+0+0
-------------------------------
Use Magic Device† +3 = CHA 3+0+0
-------------------------------
ACP -0
*ACP applies to these skills
Non-Standard Skill Bonuses
+2 Bluff to Conceal Identity & In Class (Disgraced Noble Trait)
+2 Linguistics to Detect & Produce Forgeries (Disgraced Noble Trait)
+1 Bluff & Diplomacy (Charming Trait)
CHA to Perception & Sense Motive (Whispered Glimpses Revelation)
+1/2 Bard Level to Diplomacy, K History, K Local, K Nobility (Heraldic Expertise)
Languages Taldane, Iblydosan, Lip Reading
Special Abilities:
------------------------------
SPECIAL ABILITIES
------------------------------
ORACLE (CYCLOPEAN SEER):
Mystery (Intrigue):
Class Skills:
A cyclopean seer adds Linguistics and all Knowledge skills to her list of class skills. These replace the additional class skills granted by her mystery.
Curse (Powerless Prophesy):
You are forewarned of danger but can’t act to prevent it. You gain uncanny dodge, as the rogue class feature. However, you can’t take any actions in a surprise round, including free actions, except for flash of insight (see Revelations below). In the absence of a surprise round, you are staggered for the entire first round of combat. At 5th level, you gain a +4 insight bonus on initiative checks. At 10th level, you gain improved uncanny dodge as the rogue ability, using your oracle level as your rogue level. At 15th level, you gain a +4 insight bonus on all your saving throws and to your AC during surprise rounds and when you are otherwise unaware of an attack.
Revelations:
Assume Fate (Su):
As an immediate action when targeted by an effect that requires a saving throw, you can choose another creature within line of sight that is attempting a save against the same effect. The target takes a penalty on its saving throw equal to 1d4 + 1 for every 4 levels you possess. You gain the value of their penalty as a luck bonus on your saving throw. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Charisma bonus. This replaces the revelation gained at 1st level.
Whispered Glimpses (Su):
The whispers of intrigue sing to you with glimpses of insight into others’ presence and motives, granting you greater awareness than your own senses could manage. You can add your Charisma modifier instead of your Wisdom bonus on Perception and Sense Motive checks.
BARD (COURT BARD):
Performance: (9 Rounds / Day)
A bard is trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around him, including himself if desired. He can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st a bard can use bardic performance for 2 additional rounds per day. Each round, the bard can produce any one of the types of bardic performance that he has mastered, as indicated by his level.
Starting a bardic performance is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a bardic performance from one effect to another requires the bard to stop the previous performance and start a new one as a standard action. A bardic performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the bard is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A bard cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time.
At 7th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a move action instead of a standard action. At 13th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a swift action.
Each bardic performance has audible components, visual components, or both.
If a bardic performance has audible components, the targets must be able to hear the bard for the performance to have any effect, and such performances are language dependent. A deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with an audible component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Deaf creatures are immune to bardic performances with audible components.
If a bardic performance has a visual component, the targets must have line of sight to the bard for the performance to have any effect. A blind bard has a 50% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with a visual component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Blind creatures are immune to bardic performances with visual components.
Countersong (Su):
At 1st level, a bard learns to counter magic effects that depend on sound (but not spells that have verbal components). Each round of the countersong he makes a Perform (keyboard, percussion, wind, string, or sing) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use the bard's Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use the bard's Perform skill check result for the save. Countersong does not work on effects that don't allow saves. Countersong relies on audible components.
Fascinate (Su):
At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and capable of paying attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creatures affected. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents this ability from working. For every three levels the bard has attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with this ability.
Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard's level + the bard's Cha modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature's saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and observes the performance for as long as the bard continues to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on all skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat to the target allows the target to make a new saving throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect.
Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability. Fascinate relies on audible and visual components in order to function.
Distraction (Su):
At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to counter magic effects that depend on sight. Each round of the distraction, he makes a Perform (act, comedy, dance, or oratory) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by an illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack may use the bard's Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform skill check proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the distraction is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it sees the distraction, but it must use the bard's Perform skill check result for the save. Distraction does not work on effects that don't allow saves. Distraction relies on visual components.
Satire (Su):
A court bard can use performance to undermine the confidence of enemies who hear it, causing them to take a –1 penalty on attack and damage rolls (minimum 1) and a –1 penalty on saves against fear and charm effects as long as the bard continues performing. This penalty increases by –1 at 5th level and every six levels thereafter. Satire is a language-dependent, mind-affecting ability that uses audible components. This performance replaces inspire courage.
Heraldic Expertise (Ex):
A court bard gains a bonus equal to half his bard level on Diplomacy, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), and Knowledge (nobility) checks (minimum +1). Once per day, the court bard can also reroll a check against one of these skills, though he must take the result of the second roll even if it is worse. He can reroll one additional time per day at 5th level and every five levels thereafter. This ability replaces bardic knowledge.
Well-Versed (Ex):
At 2nd level, the bard becomes resistant to the bardic performance of others, and to sonic effects in general. The bard gains a +4 bonus on saving throws made against bardic performance, sonic, and language-dependent effects.
[spoiler
Spells:
------------------------------
Oracle Spells
------------------------------
0th (5 Known | At Will)
------------------------------
Carrying Capacity Light 0-33 lb. Medium 34-67 lb. Heavy 68-100 lb.
Current Load Carried 0 lb.
Money 15 GP 5 SP 7 CP
Background:
There was a time when the Cagliaris were among the wealthiest of Taldor’s noble families. Now, due to a terrible curse stretching back three generations only two members of the family remain, struggling to make ends meet. Of those two, only Thonis, the last of her line, ever appears in public anymore.
The source of Cagliari wealth was mercantile. Their ships traveled all the trade routes from Cassomir and Oppara, but the family specialized in plying the Obari Crossing. For centuries much of the exotic spices and luxury goods that arrived in Taldor from Vudra and Katapesh came in Cagliari ships. Over those centuries an occasional spouse came from abroad as well, and some branches of the Cagliari lineage include a Keleshite or Vudrani ancestor here and there. It was just such a spouse from across the sea that ruined the family.
Thonis’s grandfather Gaspar wooed a young woman away from the city of Aelyosos in Iblydos to be his wife. Thonis, the young woman (Thonis is named after her grandmother) was exceedingly talented and beautiful, but she had also been a source of cyclopean attention from a young age. It was foretold Thonis would be called for a myth-speaking one day. Whether Thonis was fated to be a hero-god, the downfall of a hero-god, or something else of great importance will never be known, but when she abandoned her destiny to be with Gaspar things were undone that should not have been.
Misfortunes soon began to plague the Cagliari family. Ships were lost to storms, pirates, and other mishaps. Warehouse inventories were depleted by floods, fires, and thefts. Investments soured. Family members succumbed to accidents and disease. Among Thonis and Gaspar’s children only Thonis the Younger’s father Alvaro survived to adulthood.
The Cagliari family’s fortunes were vast, and if the curse had ended with the deaths of Gaspar and Thonis the Elder, the family would have recovered. But the curse continued into the next generation. An older brother of Thonis’s was stillborn. Thonis’s mother died giving birth to her. Alvaro’s merchant and investment ventures failed time after time. Alvaro and Thonis could keep up appearances, but the Cagliari furtune was hollowed out.
The fatal blow came due to almost nothing at all. Alvaro doesn’t even remember the exact wording of the remark he made that must have angered Maxillar Pythareus. In fact Pythareus wasn’t even present. Frustrated with the loss of yet another ship to piracy, Alvaro had said in passing something to the effect of “Pythareus always overspends on the army and under spends on the navy.” However the remark came to his attention, Pytharius was not pleased. He put his thumb down on Alvaro hard. Suddenly debts became due in full immediately. Ships and inventories were seized as payments. Alvaro and Thonis managed to keep only a small vacation villa in Oppara, the money they had on hand, and some family heirlooms. The hollow shell of appearances collapsed.
For Thonis the worst part of the ordeal was the cancellation of her engagement. She and her fiancé Hendrik Plancius had met and courted at a bardic college, back before the money for such luxuries ran out for Thonis. They had been happily and eagerly planning their wedding when Hendrik’s family rescinded their consent. They did not want to be caught on the wrong side of Pytharius. Hendrik killed himself shortly afterward.
In the two years that have passed since the incident that ended the Cagliari family as a social and economic entity, Alvaro has become a paranoid shut-in with a tenacious grasp on sanity. Thonis has given herself over to the pursuit of revenge. She has placed her faith in Calistria and is looking for a way to enter into politics. In the past the Cagliari family had scorned ‘public service’ in the form of political office. Although numerous members of the family served as naval officers over the centuries, the Cagliari philosophy has always been wealth rules over politics. If the family needed something from the government, bribery would more surely accomplish it, and with less time wasted.
Now, without any wealth, only politics remains as a means for Thonis to strike back at Maxillar Pytharius. She supposes the second-sight she possesses is somehow related to the Cagliari curse. As Calistria teaches, she will use it to the fullest, and with the greatest patience, to deliver the most hurtful blow to him she can muster.
Appearance and Personality:
Height: 5'1" | Weight: 115 | Hair: Dark Brown | Eyes: Hazel Green
Appearance
Thonis is a little on the short and small side, but she’s fairly athletic and fit considering the lack of physical demands her social station places on her. Even though her ancestry is a mixed one with some ancestors from Katapesh, the Pradishah Empire, and Iblydos, Thonis blends in among other Taldans easily. Her complexion is a bronze only a couple of shades darker than the usual. Her dark brown hair and hazel green eyes are quintessentially Taldan.
Although her means are greatly reduced, Thonis does her best to keep current with Taldan fashion. She does tend to avoid the showiest clothing because her current social problems make it better to blend in rather than draw attention. In any case Thonis is naturally quite attractive and does not need highly flattering clothes or other fine items to look appealing.
Personality
Thonis does not seem at all like a person whose current principle motivation in life is revenge. She does not sit alone at home brooding while sharpening her knives. Thonis isn’t much of a warrior in fact. Her preferred end for Maxillar Pytharius is humiliation, social isolation, and ultimately obscurity. She knows what that pain is like, and also knows for Pytharius it would be a fate worse than death.
Really Thonis isn’t the type of person to readily hold a grudge. If she were engaged deeply on the subject, she would admit she suspicion that Pytharius’s actions were yet another aspect of the curse that has troubled her family for so long. If it is true, the question arises whether Pytharius acted of his own will, and is therefore truly responsible. Thonis has considered this and does not care though. There comes a point where one must push back against such suffering as her family has experienced, if for no other reason than to preserve one’s sanity.
Pytharius can at least be named and found, while the curse cannot. How does one fight something that cannot even be located? Various members of her family have researched the curse to the extent it has been possible. Nobody has ever concluded anything certain about it. Thonis does not believe, as some have, that there is an intelligence that directs the curse, or that it was placed on her family by the cyclopean myth-speakers. She believes it is an event. Something tore, or became dislocated when her grandmother left Aelyosos. Something her grandmother was meant to make happen did not. All the rest since has been like the ripples from a stone dropped in water.
Thonis hopes she is right, and eventually enough will have happened for the ripples from the ‘non-event’ to dissipate, ending the curse. Hopefully this would happen within her lifetime.
If it were not for the curse and her second sight resulting from it (she supposes), Thonis would not be particularly remarkable. She is well schooled in manners and courtesies, as those of her type are. She would enjoy patronizing the arts. Her deceased ex-fiance Hendrik (whom she loved dearly) was in fact a composer of considerable talent.
The areas where Thonis shows the greatest talent involve social relationships. She has a warmth about her that is inviting to others, and which she can project whether she truly feels it or not. Her high degree of empathy can sometimes get in the way of her ability to judge people objectively.
There is a Janus-faced aspect to Thonis. She is affable, light, and rather frivolous most of the time. But if someone crosses her, she is vindictive and possesses a long memory.
Somewhat at odds with the rest of her more ‘live in the moment’ personality, Thonis has a talent for long range planning and carrying through on projects that take extended periods of time to come to fruition.
Party Contributions and Progression:
Thonis will be going straight through with Oracle, no dips. On the Bard side Thonis will probably dip a level into a martial class, likely Rondelero Duelist Swashbuckler, to shore up her combat ability some.
Thonis will tend to be opportunistic about melee anyway, jumping in where she’ll have an advantage, and with means of escape if things get too hot. Most of the time she’ll be busy with party support through buffing (and some battlefield control if nobody else is doing it). Although she’s a spontaneous caster on both sides, Thonis will have the pick of most of the great buffing spells from both the Oracle and Bard lists. With her extra large batch of spells per day, she isn’t too likely to run dry. She should also have more room to take healing spells since she can devote her Bard spells completely to support, utility, and buffing.
The Court Bard archetype has debuffing rather than party buffing performances. The Cyclopean Seer archetype also has a couple of nice debuffing revelations. Even if there’s another bard in the party there shouldn’t be too much stepping on toes since their respective performances will have different targets.
She isn’t likely to be the best skill monkey or encyclopedia in the party given the applications are really favoring Investigators, but she’ll be able to hold her own, and will excel at social skills. She will have a good selection of divination spells on the Oracle side so Thonis will be able to help with information by remote means.
One thing I'll mention since this will probably be a 4-person party. A smaller party tends to mean less character overlap, and it can be difficult to plan a character in isolation with confidence everything that needs to be covered is well taken care of. Oracles and Bards are extremely flexible and I'm quite open to making alterations to Thonis to fills gaps. For example, at this time I don’t believe I’ve seen and Rogue type applications. If that isn’t covered, it would be simple to switch Thonis to an Archaeologist Bard for dealing with traps and so forth. Archaeologist also helps to improve combat abilities as well. I came very close to going with it instead of Court Bard. I also don’t think I’ve seen any ranged combat characters. If that needs to be covered I can change a starting feat and the martial class dipped to cover it. None of those kind of changes would ruin the character concept behind Thonis. Feel free to ask if you need some changes to put a well-functioning party together.
